Meet the Techie
by XxSiberianTigerxX
Summary: Technology is developing at a quicker rate than ever before. We decided we needed an update.


((_Hello again! I apologize for not finishing my last story. IT IS NOT DEAD. I am suffering from writer's block. So I began this one in an attempt to sort through the mess inside my head. Another Tenth Class, but technically it's the ninth because… well, you'll find out. Thanks for reading, review please! Multiple chapters are a promise. Oh, and I'm going to translate for Pyro in this story, in italics, because I'm one of those people who assume everyone on the team has some vague idea of what the hell he(/she, /it…)'s saying. Oh- and this is really just an introduction chapter._))

* * *

It had all happened so fast.  
An expertly executed plan by the Administrator, as always. This plan in particular involved distracting both Spies simultaneously without allowing them to make contact, a well-predicted battle, and two highly-trained specialists to sabotage the Respawn systems of both teams.  
After that, she'd just had to wait for the deaths. It didn't take long.

At the end of the battle, the teams were contacted and notified of the situation. The Administrator was not pleased at the way the tens had taken the news. "Bonding," as it was known, was a waste of time in her opinion, and she had hoped the REDs and BLUs would have even a fragment of dignity.  
In hindsight, that had been overly optimistic. She would not overestimate them again.  
She recalled, with _almost_ the slightest hint of amusement, the reactions of both teams' Scouts and Pyros.  
She hoped - or she would have, if she'd believed hope to be a useful pastime - that the new man would be a little more respectable, but she highly doubted it. Mercenaries did not seem capable of such things. Had robbing them of a teammate been a _little_ cold-hearted? Maybe, by others' standards. But they should have known it was coming. This _was_ war, after all.  
It was in the contract. Part of the job description.  
His family had been taken care of. His "friends" had been dealt with. Not all of them killed, obviously. That would have been too difficult to cover up. No, memory wipes were easier and didn't leave so much… residue.  
Just their luck that the mercenary in question had been one of the most sociable outside of war. But at least Texas wasn't far from New Mexico.

* * *

"I still can't believe dis." Scout hadn't made a single smart-ass remark since the news. It had been five days.

"None of us are taking this easy, private." Soldier hadn't made a discriminating comment about anyone.

"_No kidding…_" Pyro didn't bother carrying around his flamethrower anymore.

"An' what was their excuse, again?" Scout asked, though he knew the answer by heart.

"'Technology is developing at a quicker rate than ever before. We decided we needed an update." Soldier actually did a pretty good Administrator impression.

"_It's not fair_…" Pyro said sadly.

"How're we s'posed ta guard stuff from th' BLUs wit'out Sentries?"

"We'll manage. Maybe." Soldier didn't bother throwing in a "For America!", it took too much effort. He went back to staring wistfully at his own helmet, which sat on the table in front of him.

The mood had quickly plummeted in RED base since the death of the Engineer. He was everyone's friend, or ally, at the very least, and everyone had trusted him with everything. Thus, everyone was affected by his untimely demise.

Medic had locked himself in the Med Bay, allowing no-one - even the Heavy - inside. Because of this, Heavy had taken to sulking and was rarely seen unless making himself one of his trademark Sandviches - which seemed to happen less and less often.

Most days, Demoman drank until he passed out, and every so often his loud sobs could be heard coming from his room.

Sniper hadn't been seen or heard from since it happened (then again, nobody went looking or listening). They could all tell he blamed himself. After all, he was the one that had missed a shot. The one shot he'd missed the whole battle, and it just so happened to be the one to make all the difference. Soldier knew Spy had tried to convince the Australian that he wasn't to blame. That he would have died at some point in the future, anyway. But Sniper would hear none of it.

The three offensive classes had formed a sort of group - they rarely left each other's company. Scout was going through a sort of phase of grief during which he basically blamed anything in sight about what happened. Pyro was wallowing in self-pity. Soldier had taken it upon himself to shake them out of their grief, but one man - even an American - could only take so much, and he was slowly losing his resolve.

Spy had actually been trying to help for once, showing up at random times with stupid jokes or puns to keep everyone going. but, like Soldier, he was being dragged down by the depression as well, and it was becoming more common for him to say something quiet and sad.

Like right then,

"What am I going to sap now?" he said mournfully, materializing behind Pyro.

"Everyone's mood, if you keep that up," Soldier muttered dejectedly.

"Ah, zat, I'm afraid, is already 'down,'" he gave a small, sad smile.

A pathetically hopeless mood settled over the room, and it wasn't long before-

"Argh! I've had it with this crap! I'm going outside."

"_I'll come,_" Pyro offered.

"And I as well," Soldier said.

"Nah, I need some time alone." The two REDs sat down reluctantly as Scout trudged out of the building, more slowly than they'd ever seen him walk. Spy left in the opposite direction, and the uncomfortable silence settled once more.

* * *

((_So, how was it? This is not only my first time attempting to write a depressed RED Team, but also my first time writing the Administrator. i can has feedback? Oh, and, uh, school's back in session, so updates will be less common._)


End file.
